Minimally invasive diagnostic medical procedures are used to assess the interior surfaces of an organ by inserting a tube into the body. The instruments utilized may have a rigid or flexible tube and provide an image for visual inspection and photography, but also enable taking biopsies and retrieval of foreign objects. Analysis of image data collected during the inspection and photography of the interior of the body cavity is a critical component of proper diagnosis of disease and other related conditions.
Percutaneous catheterization is a type of medical treatment that is generally less-invasive than directly accessing an internal body site for treatment, such as when using general surgery methods. In catheterization techniques, a long tubular catheter is introduced into the body through a puncture site. It is then passed to that site, usually through passageways such as the vascular tree. Treatment or diagnostic procedures may then be accomplished using the catheter by manipulation of the portion of the catheter remaining outside the body.
It is not uncommon to use percutaneous catheterization to introduce sutures into internal portions of the body in an effort to correct physiological defects, close unwanted openings, or conduct other medical procedures. Existing technology for accomplishing these tasks suffer from the inability to place a suture or conduct a medical procedure with a single tool capable of placing a suture and viewing placement of the suture from the perspective of the suture itself.